Support for ceramic ware during firing



Sept. 11, 1951 J. w. A. LOVATT 2,567,609

SUPPORT FOR CERAMIC WARE DURING FIRING Filed Aug. 9, 1950 v AWXMM Patented Sept. 11, 1951 OFFICE SUPPORT FOR/CERAMIC WARE DURING FIRING James William Alexander Lovatt, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, England Application August 9, 1950, Serial No. 178,394 In Great Britain August 18, 1949 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a support for ceramic ware during firing and is primarily intended for application to a support for holding tiles during firing.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction.

According to the present invention, the support comprises a plurality of prefabricated elements of refractory material assembled into interlocking relationship to form a box-like structure with two opposite sides open, the box-like structure having a pair of spaced sides with horizontal ribs or projections on their inner surfaces for supporting the goods, these sides being held in spaced relationship by strips which form ties and which have end portions which interlock in slots in the side members.

Each tie may include at least one member having end portions of substantially half dove-tail form which can be placed in a slot in one of the side members and then moved laterally to make it interlock with said side member by inserting another member of the tie.

Preferably, each tie has two members pro vided with end portions of half dove-tail form the opposed edges of said members being converging and said members being adapted to be moved laterally in opposite directions by a third tie member having converging edges and forming a wedge which is pushed in endwise between the other two members. All three members may be of uniform thickness.

There may be two or more ties connecting the side members of the box-like structure, and the slots which receive the ends of the ties may extend in each case through one of the ribs on the inner surface of the side member and the ties may be of the same thickness as that of the ribs.

The upper and. lower edges of the side members may be rabbeted so that a number of the box-like structures may be superposed with adjacent edges interlocking or interengaging.

The elements which make up the box-like structure may be produced in a press and can be stacked in a small space for firing.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a box-like structure.

Figure 2 is a plan view.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail showing the ends of a tie member prior to the central portion of the tie member being inserted.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional detail through a portion of a side member and a tie. V In the construction illustrated, each side member I0 is of rectangular form and consists of a plate of refractory material. On its inner surface each side member IB is provided with a number of horizontal ribs ll of rectangular section and these are spaced apart by a distance which is somewhat greater than the thickness of the tiles or other articles which are to be supported.

Each side member is provided with three horizontal slots 12 which extend through the side member I 0 and through one of the ribs ll. There may be an upper pair of slots, a lower pair of slots and an intermediate pair of slots.

The two sides members are spaced apart by ties I3 so that their inner surfaces are separated by a distance somewhat greater than the length and width of a tile or article to be supported so that the edges of the tiles or articles may be disposed in spaced relationship from the inner surface of the side members It).

In order to ensure that the edges of the tiles or articles shall not stick to the side members It] should the tiles or articles become slightly displaced the inner surfaces of the side members, between adjacent ribs Il, may be chamfered as shown at I 4.

The ribs II on the side members 10 are preferably shorter than the dimension of the side member from back to front.

The edges [5 of the slots l2 in the side members I0 are inclined to one another and converge towards the inner surface of the side members. Adjacent the inner surface these edges l5 of the slots l2 are each provided with a shoulder l6. Each tie l3 consists of three strips of refractory material comprising a central wedge shaped strip I1 and two outer strips I8 whose inner edges converge at an angle corresponding to the inclination of the edges of the centre strip IT.

The ends of each outer strip I8 are of half dove-tail shape as shown at [9 and the inclined side 20 of each dove-tail portion [9 is recessed to provide a shoulder 2! which will engage the shoulder I6 and prevent axial movement of the outer strips [8 when the wedge shaped central strip I! is bein inserted. As this central strip l l is pushed into position between the outer strip [8 it will of course move them outwardly until the inclined sides 28 engage frictionally with the sides of the slots l2.

The strips [1 and I8 are of the same thickness as the ribs H.

The upper and lower edges of the side members [0 are rabbeted as at 22 so that the box-like structures can be superposed and will interlock sufficiently at their edges to retain their positions. Alternatively the upper and lower edges may be tongued and grooved.

When the parts are being manufactured they can be produced in a press and they can be packed into a small space for firing. After they have been fired they can be assembled. to form the box-like structure and the ends of the tie members may be attached to the outer surfaces of the side members by means of glaze. The structure is then a stable structure and the parts firmly secured together.

What I claim then is:

1. A support for ceramic ware during firing comprising a pair of spaced parallel side mem bers, transverse tie members extending between said side members, said side members having transverse openings the ends of said tie members engaging frictionally in said openings, each ti'e member comprising a central wedge-shaped strip having side edges which converge to one end of the strip and two outer strips whose inner edges converge whereby when said central strip is pushed between said outer strips they are moved outwardly to engage frictionally with said side members, and inwardly extending ribs formed on the inner face of said side members for supporting said ware.

2. A support for ceramic ware during firing comprising a pair of spaced parallel side members, transverse tie members extending between said side members, said side members having transverse openings the ends of said tie members engaging frictionally in said openings, each tie member comprising a central wedge-shaped strip having side edges which converge to one end of the strip and two outer strips whose inner edges converge whereby when said central strip is pushed between said outer strips they are moved outwardly to engage frictionally with said side members, the upper and lower edges of said side members being rabbeted whereby they may interlock with further side members disposed above or below, and inwardly extending ribs formed on the inner face of said side members for supporting said ware.

JAMES WILLIAM ALEXANDER LOVATT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,778,561 McCoy Oct. 14, 1930 1,841,641 Schreiber Jan. 19, 1932 1,848,200 Robison Mar. 8, 1932 2,027,585 Geiger et al Jan. 14, 1936 

